The Grenada gazette. (Grenada, Miss.) 1885-18??, 1887-02-05
THE COLONEL'S LUCK.
He Escaped Death by Descending
Into q Grave.

81 have heard men talk against ns
tive superstitions." said Colonel ID
Launay, As he and sat together in from
of a trim little cafe in the ''publi
square" at Blidah, watching the sui
sink behind the huge dark wall of tn
Atlas mountains. Its easy enought t.
laugh at such things, but Tn rather in
clined to be indulgent to them myself
for if it wasn't for one of those SAM
superstitions, l shouldn't be here now
How was that" asked l, guessing
ut once that there must be a good story
coming.
well, this was how it happened.
When we were out with Marshal La
moriciere in 1915, following Abd-El'
Kader and his Kabyles further and fur.
ther back into the desert, it befell That
all at once we lost all trace of the Arabs
Is completely as if the earth had swal-
lowed them.
This was always q bad sign with
such fellows as the Kabyles, for it was
just when you saw least of them that
you were apt to feel most.
There was no struggling from the
line of march that time. l can promise
you. Every M was on the lookout,
night and day. Our men slept with
their eyes open, and u old General
Kept sending out scouts in every direc-
ton; but still nothing was to be seer or
heard of the enemy, till we all began to
feel rather uncomfortable.
Il can remember, as we'll as if it
were yesterday. how old Pierre Fau-
chet, our regimental doctor, used to
worry us by making a great parade of
his knives and saws, and saying there
would be plenty of work for them be-
fore long. And at night when we got
together over a bit of horsefesh or
boiled camel (for our kitchen was get
ting to be a very primitive one by this
time). the worthy doctor, by way of
amusing us and keeping up our spirits,
would strike up a horrid old song that
he had made himself, called The Lion
and the Crow comparing our army to
a sick lion, and the Kabylus t a crow
bouncing down upon it. This was how
it began:
The hon looked in vain for the crow
No sign OF that gentleman black;
The lion lay down to take his rest,
And there was the crow on his back.
"Wcll, one morning. while things
were at this pass, l was told that the
General wanted me. So in | went, and
found the old Turk looking grimmer
than ever.
"'Thou'rt a young soldier, Henri,
said he Che always called me thou
just as one soldier might do to another),
'but thou'rt the son of my oldest friend,
and want to give thee q chance. That
dog, Abd-El-Kader. never does any
thing without reason, and if he leaves
US in peace like this just now, it's only
because he's preparing to strike US
such a blow as we shall long remember,
Now. il that's the case, the sooner our
three columns are concentrated into one
The better. Dost thou understands
81 understood perfectly. A mar was
wanted to ride across | don't know how
many miles of desert, with a very good
chance of being shot or chopped into
'ausage-meat, if he didn't happen to
lie of thirst or sunstroke beforehand;
md ]. il You please, was to be the man!
'1f I'd had any time to think, l don't
'uppose l should have felt Sc much flat
cred by the Generals choice as I ought
. have done; but l thought only of the
OF being promoted. and of what
ny father would say when le heard Of
so / answered at once:
"'Say no more. General; I'm at your
.ervicc.'
"'Ihou art thy fathers son. lad
aid the old fellow, elapping me On the
boulder. Here are the dispatches;
AXE my horse. and good luck 90 with
hee!'
"Ten minutes later l was out of sight
I the camp, and flying at full speed
cross the desert.
'.Now that was fairly launched, /
ather enjoyed it just at first. The !
eneral's horse was the best in our :
hole camp, and l seemed actually to l
y as he darted along, with our shadows y
'urrying over the sand alongside as if |
icy were running a race with us. !.
after mile, the hot, yellow, endless 4
ain went by; and at last l caught sight
a clump of palms, far in the dis c
nee, which ! knew must oyeyhspg I